Empathy
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: I was wondering if you could write another story about Granny and Regina where Granny stands up for her or something – smurfgirlx (Set during 2x03)


_I was wondering if you could write another story about Granny and Regina where Granny stands up for her or something – smurfgirlx_

_Thanks for the prompt. Apologies for any mistakes. I don't own Once or any of its characters. Set during 2x03 (when Henry stands Regina up). Hope you all enjoy :) _

Granny frowns as she watches Regina from across the Diner. The former Mayor had hurried into the Diner with an excited smile but as the minutes have worn on that excitement has given way to defeat and sadness. She wants to tell herself not to care, now that the curse has been broken Granny remembers who Regina is. The Evil Queen though is not all she remembers. She remembers Regina bringing her baby to the Diner and telling him stories or singing him or simply enjoying being his mother. She remembers the pair of them coming in every Friday for ice-cream with bright happy smiles on their faces.

She remembers the first Friday it was just Regina and an ice-cream left uneaten.

Granny wants to stay angry but she knows what it is to lose a child over a secret. Her own daughter ran away because she refused to tell her about her werewolf curse, she nearly lost Ruby over it too. As much as she might like to stay mad she can't help but empathise. She doesn't just see an evil queen when she looks at Regina, she also sees a mother whose son despises her and who ran away from her.

She sees the heartbreak as ten minutes have gone by and Regina remains at that table alone, her head sinking onto her palms as she tries her best to look at the clock and keep a mask up. It's not working. Even from the counter Granny can see the pain and the tears threatening to fall. It doesn't take a lot to figure out who Regina was expecting.

It's Grumpy who disturbs the moment walking over to Regina with as much courage as too many mugs of mead will give. He swaggers over to her table before sneering at the former queen. Regina looks straight ahead determined not to give him the pleasure of seeing her in a weak moment.

"You're not welcome here," he slurs out.

She ignores him and it only spurs him on, "Why don't you just leave? No-one wants you here since you sent Snow and Emma away."

"I didn't," Regina says in a low voice. Anyone else would take it as a warning but he carries on.

"That's not what Henry said."

Granny sees the mask falter at the mention of Henry and marches over to Grumpy. "Get out," she instructs. He frowns as he realises she's looking at him and not Regina, "Are you kidding me sister? You'd rather have an evil queen here than me?"

She glowers down at him, "Regina is sitting here minding her own business. She's not causing any trouble. As for Snow and Emma they fell through the portal saving her from the wraith and she is trying to find a way to bring them back. Regina is not causing any problems here. You however are drunk and harassing her so leave before I get my crossbow."

He stands his ground for a few minutes before giving up with a defeated and angry sigh. He stomps out of the Diner and slams the door. Everyone looks up and over to Regina's table before Granny gives them a stern stare and they quickly return their gazes to their own meals and conversations.

"You didn't have to do that," Regina says as Granny continues to hover.

"Someone had to," Granny replies, "Since you didn't."

"What's the point?" Regina asks, "We both know what they all think of me so why give them more fuel for the fire?"

"Because they'll never know you're trying to change if you don't," Granny says.

"I thought being good meant you didn't cause scenes in Diners," Regina quips.

Granny laughs, "Oh child. Do you have any idea how many good parties and feasts are ruined in the name of good? It's hell on the catering businesses."

Regina chuckles and Granny nods pleased to see a smile before looking at her with a serious expression, "Being good doesn't mean not standing up for yourself. If someone's a jerk don't let them get away with it. You can be good without being a martyr."

"I'm not being a martyr," Regina huffs.

Granny cocks her head, "I suppose not but sitting there ignoring them doesn't make them go away or change their mind about you. You might pretend you don't care what they think but I know you do."

"How do you know that?"

"Because who wants to be lonely?" Granny asks in reply.

Regina drops her head sadly looking at her phone, "No, they don't," she replies quietly as a lone tear snakes down her cheek. Granny has indeed hit the nail on the head with her. She didn't want to let a drunk Grumpy get to her but god she couldn't help it and the last thing she wanted to do was lash out and make things worse for herself. The only problem is that not doing anything just encouraged him further.

Regina tried to tell herself not to care but her son has stood her up and when he mentioned Henry it pushed her over the edge. For her son her walls fall to pieces. Henry fixed the hole in her heart without realising it and now that he is gone her heart just aches.

So lost in her thoughts of her son she doesn't even realise she's crying until Granny takes her hand and leads her to the back room before pulling her in for a hug. At the contact Regina lets out a sob. It's been so long since she was hugged, since she was offered any kind of comfort that this simple touch is enough for her to let her walls down and cry. She scoots into the hug and Granny tightens her hold. Regina doesn't know why she's offering comfort and frankly she doesn't want to question it. Right now she lets herself be comforted.

It's been a long time since she's let that happen.

The only embraces she had given were to her son and his were the only ones she received for ten years. Now with him living with his grandfather and standing her up for lunches she misses those hugs. He used to run at her and grab her with all his tiny might as a toddler clinging to her as if telling her that he was so happy to see her. As he grew older the hugs grew more fleeting but no matter how small they meant he was there and that he loved her.

Now she can't remember the last time he hugged her at all.

She sniffles as Granny rubs her back soothingly and whispers reassuring words that Regina barely hears. She just sobs it all out, Henry, Emma and Snow falling through the portal, the struggle that is trying to be good, the fear of turning into her mother, the loneliness, the guilt – everything. She sobs for it all and throughout it all Granny holds her. She hugs her close until the sobs subside. Once they do Regina pulls back and wipes the remnants of tears from her face.

"I'm sorry," she says overcome with embarrassment at crying all over the other woman.

Granny shakes her head before grabbing a handkerchief and using it to wipe the tears from Regina's face, "Don't be sorry Regina. You're human, you're allowed to be human and to feel."

"Why do you care?"

Granny smiles sadly, "I understand you more than I ever let myself realise. Even if I didn't we all need someone to care about us so why not let me be yours?" Now that Regina's let her in even if for this moment she wants to help, to be there for Regina. She knows that staying good is no easy task especially when one's instincts are geared towards darkness but she knows it's a lot easier when you're not facing that battle alone.

Regina mulls it over in her head for a few minutes before nodding, "I'd like that."

"Well then now that's settled, let's go get you some ice-cream."

_Thanks for reading :)_


End file.
